ES3

Anyone own both or owned a Porsche before your SC430?
I'm literally debating between an '02 SC430 or a slightly used
'05 Porsche Boxster-non S version.

Yes of course they are two COMPLETELY different cars, but while I LOVE luxury, I also like
performance. Problem is this would be my daily driver, am I silly
to think that I could keep a manual boxster as a daily driver???

I've been spoiled by the Mark Levision audio, and creamy smooth v8, but
I LOVE the handling of the boxster and 240 hpower in a car that small should
really be illegal!

Help! Any suggestions!?

PB430

I have test driven multiple Boxsters, S and non-S, and they are a lot of fun to drive for a weekend running around mountain roads, but for a daily driver you will get really tired of the shifting and the ride quality. I traded my essentially new M3 convertible for the SC and I have never regretted the decision. The SC combines the comfort you want for a commute, a silky smooth powerful engine and the beauty of a hard-top convertible. That's one more thing. I had nothing but trouble with the soft top on the M3. Nothing better than a hard top during the winter. Just my 2 cents.

bt430

I agree with PB430 I dumped my M5 for the SC430 and never looked back.

bt

ES3

Excellent info... exactly what I was looking for. Curious though, do you EVER miss the handling of the lighter boxster/M3?

Also, by the way, do you drive you SC430 at all in the winter with or without snow tires?

Thanks!

yoshi

I suggest an SC430 with

- anti-roll bars

AND

- Tein CS suspension for handling/comfort

OR

- Tein Flex suspension for better handling/electronic damping adjustment. This will ride like a stock BMW.

ES3

Thanks, good suggestions! But won't it still weigh more?

yoshi

Porsche Boxster - 1355Kilo
Lexus SC430 - 1740 kilo

So the Porsche is 400 kilo lighter. This will help handling and obviously bhp per tonne is better for the Porsche

Lexus 160bhp per tonne
Porsche 177 bhp per tonne

There isn't much in it. A bottle of NOS in the SC430 should make the SC faster.

Some ways to make the SC430 go faster is to install a 1.5 or 2 way LSD. Then the SC430 will nail the Porsche exiting the corner and possibly also from standing start.

Torque convertor to the SC also could close the gap if combined with the Tein Flex/anti-roll bars.

PB430

Well yes, but in comparison to the teeth shattering ride quality on regular roads, I'll take the SC any day.

yoshi

Me too. A convertible is for crusin' in, not outright performance so you want it to be Automatic transmission and very comfortable ride/nice interior.

I had a ride in a BMW 330Ci convertible - man was it cheap and nasty inside. I did not feel like I was in a $50K car. The ride was hard too, like my coil-overs on my Aristo/GS.

At least with a SC430 you get to tune it to be harder ride/better handling if required. With the Boxster, you can't put in comfort suspension, only make it harder.

tonydt1g3r

I dont know about you but for me hardtop convertible outweighs softtop, just because here in florida you always want to put the top down and go everywhere but for security reasons you want the hard top. People go around hating and cutting peoples top's all the time. Its sad but true, spending 50k on a car then another 2k every time someone gets mad and cuts your top up.

yoshi

Same problem in Scotland. I know someone who's had their hood slashed twice. It's not cheap to repair.

If I was buying a convertible, it'd be an SC430.